FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * ROWE JOHN W   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol AETNA INC /PA/ [AET] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chairman & Chief Exec. Officer (Last) (First) (Middle) 151 FARMINGTON AVENUE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 04/18/2005 (Street) HARTFORD, CT 06156 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 04/18/2005   S(1)(2)   500 D $ 69.5 0 I By GRATS Common Stock 04/18/2005   S(1)(2)   500 D $ 69.54 0 I By GRATS Common Stock 04/18/2005   S(1)(2)   600 D $ 69.6 0 I By GRATS Common Stock 04/18/2005   S(1)(2)   100 D $ 69.63 0 I By GRATS Common Stock 04/18/2005   S(1)(2)   900 D $ 69.64 0 I By GRATS Common Stock 04/18/2005   S(1)(2)   400 D $ 69.74 0 I By GRATS Common Stock 04/18/2005   S(1)(2)   1,200 D $ 69.83 0 I By GRATS Common Stock 04/18/2005   S(1)(2)   1,200 D $ 70.47 0 I By GRATS Common Stock 04/18/2005   S(1)(2)   900 D $ 70.71 22,000 D   Commn Stock               292.4047 (3) I By 401(k)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
ROWE JOHN W 151 FARMINGTON AVENUE HARTFORD, CT 06156	X		Chairman & Chief Exec. Officer

Signatures

John W. Rowe by Paige L. Falasco, Attorney-in-Fact		04/20/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	The sale reported was effected pursuant to a Fule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the John W. Rowe 2004 GRAT on March 4, 2005 and a Rule 10b5-1trading plan adopted by the John W. Rowe 2003 GRAT on March 4, 2005.
(2)	THIS IS FORM 3 OF 3. The number of individual Table I line entries making up the sale reported exceeds the EDGAR system's limitations and, therefore, this filing is being made in three parts.
(3)	Represents the pro rata portion of the stock oprtion of Aetna Common Stock fund held by reporting person on March 31, 2005 pursuant to Aetna Inc. Incentive Savings Plan. The information is based on information provided by the Plan Trustee as of that date.

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